In a recent development for UK Limited Company administrators and entrepreneurs, Companies House has announced modifications to several key digital filing fees, set to take effect from the 1st February 2026. The announcement made on 30th October 2025, underscores the organisation's commitment to annual fee reviews that aim to ensure costs align with the delivery of public services. These adjustments follow the most recent fee revisions implemented on 1st May 2024, which marked the first significant update in several years and were introduced to fund enhanced investigative and enforcement capabilities under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
The 2026 updates primarily target high-volume digital filings, with a mix of increases and reductions based on operational cost assessments. While a comprehensive list of all affected fees has been published by Companies House, the following table highlights the principal changes relevant to most businesses.
The 2024 changes substantially elevated fees across 59 services, with notable increases such as the digital incorporation fee rising (from £12 to £50 in 2024, and to £100 in 2026) and the confirmation statement fee (from £13 to £34 in 2024, and to £50 in 2026). These measures aimed to recover costs associated with new compliance requirements, including mandatory identity verification and improved data accuracy. Now, less than two years later, further refinements are forthcoming to “maintain financial sustainability without generating profit”, as Companies House aims to operate on a cost-recovery basis.
Changes to companies house fees
As a comparison, with the changes to Incorporation Costs doubling, the United Kingdom only moves from an estimated 17th lowest at £50, to 21st lowest at a £100, on the list of 143 Companies with verifiable governing body fees for Limited Company or equivalent structure/entity. Rwanda and Venezuela are the only two to allow free registrations, with the UAE remaining the most expensive at an estimated £5,672.
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